Multi-country Prepaid Mifi/Wireless Hotspot Solution
Sep 24, 2015, 7:30 pm
#76
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sweet Home Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 646
Sep 25, 2015, 8:43 am
#77
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Detroit; Formerly Dubai
Posts: 3,652
I'm going back and forth. I like the design of the unit, but have two unlocked HSPA hotspots which hit all five frequencies (well one doesn't get 1700mhz). I have a jailbroken iPhone 5 which I can use as a router and and unlocked Samsung Galaxy Duos with a tether mode. I'm probably going to pass.
Jan 28, 2016, 8:00 pm
#79
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 2,068
So Freedompop have launched launched their global plan. You can get the Novatel for US$50, but its limited to the US (or the UK where the Novatel costs GBP50). Is there anything stopping me from signing up to Freedompop and ordering the sim and having it shipped via a reshipping company to HK?
Apr 2, 2016, 9:14 am
#81
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 389
Global MiFi 2 box with 'Global SIM'
Just received my shipment (in US) from Freedompop.
Turned out to be this Novatel # 5792 3G/4G touchscreen unit. Approx$64 USD with 'Global SIM'
http://www.nvtl.com/files/1413/6399/..._22Mar2013.pdf
I think it is running on Sprint here at home (how do I confirm that?)
Speedtests showing around 3mb
We will test the free data on the SIM when in Spain and France
Turned out to be this Novatel # 5792 3G/4G touchscreen unit. Approx$64 USD with 'Global SIM'
http://www.nvtl.com/files/1413/6399/..._22Mar2013.pdf
I think it is running on Sprint here at home (how do I confirm that?)
Speedtests showing around 3mb
We will test the free data on the SIM when in Spain and France
Last edited by bukzin; Apr 2, 2016 at 5:14 pm
Apr 2, 2016, 9:18 am
#82
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: BIL
Programs: Delta FO
Posts: 786
Just received my shipment (in US) from Freedompop.
Turned out to be this Novatel touchscreen unit. Approx$64 USD with SIM
http://www.nvtl.com/files/1413/6399/..._22Mar2013.pdf
I think it is running on Sprint here at home (how do I confirm that?)
Speedtests showing around 3mb
We will test the free data on the SIM when in Spain and France
Turned out to be this Novatel touchscreen unit. Approx$64 USD with SIM
http://www.nvtl.com/files/1413/6399/..._22Mar2013.pdf
I think it is running on Sprint here at home (how do I confirm that?)
Speedtests showing around 3mb
We will test the free data on the SIM when in Spain and France
Apr 2, 2016, 4:23 pm
#85
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 389
Yeah, 3 Mbps is not impressive. Just moved that Global SIM card into
my Android phone to retest; this time 4.8 Mbps
By the way my phone is showing APN of '3 UK'
In the Play Store I am seeing several Freedompop apps, which are you guys using?
I did grab the 'FP Diagnostic' app. Looks kinda helpful for us newbies!
my Android phone to retest; this time 4.8 Mbps
By the way my phone is showing APN of '3 UK'
In the Play Store I am seeing several Freedompop apps, which are you guys using?
I did grab the 'FP Diagnostic' app. Looks kinda helpful for us newbies!
Last edited by bukzin; Apr 2, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Apr 2, 2016, 5:09 pm
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
Apr 3, 2016, 3:11 pm
#87
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 916
It cannot be that hard to get sims made if you really wanted to ,
maybe this did not work $$$$ wise for FreedomPop and they hope its gets forgotten and goes away....
If anyone finds them for sale please send me a PM
Apr 3, 2016, 5:32 pm
#88
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: BIL
Programs: Delta FO
Posts: 786
I went ahead and created another account and ordered again. Its already shipped, so assuming some sort of glitch on the first order. Of note, the first order was for a new mifi unit at $65. This order is $39, which I assume is a refurb unit.
Apr 6, 2016, 8:24 am
#89
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 389
I went round and round trying to get FP's Free Call and Text app to work. (and get a free US phone number). BTW, the CS folks said the only way to make this work was to buy a FP phone.
Finally some kind soul on FP's forum tipped me off. Just use a second email address when signing up for it.
I think (hope) now when I'm travelling international folks can reach me
with the combo of that phone number and Freedompop's MiFi 2 hotspot/router.
Anyone have experience with this?
Finally some kind soul on FP's forum tipped me off. Just use a second email address when signing up for it.
I think (hope) now when I'm travelling international folks can reach me
with the combo of that phone number and Freedompop's MiFi 2 hotspot/router.
Anyone have experience with this?
Jun 16, 2016, 11:29 pm
#90
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Here's an update on my experience with Skyroam.
I used it extensively in Alaska for 2 weeks. It was very reliable and I didn't experience the kinds of aggravation I had previously (as mentioned in my appended post). This was for pretty moderate usage, though - certainly not chewing through huge amounts of data.
For my travel needs this is looking like a very viable solution. (That said, it is still annoying that you have to pay for 24 hours even if you only need 3 minutes in a 24 hour period. And I don't like the payment for extended periods of non-use either.) I hope to test it later tis year in Korea.
I used it extensively in Alaska for 2 weeks. It was very reliable and I didn't experience the kinds of aggravation I had previously (as mentioned in my appended post). This was for pretty moderate usage, though - certainly not chewing through huge amounts of data.
For my travel needs this is looking like a very viable solution. (That said, it is still annoying that you have to pay for 24 hours even if you only need 3 minutes in a 24 hour period. And I don't like the payment for extended periods of non-use either.) I hope to test it later tis year in Korea.
I bought the Skyroam device via the Lufthansa World Store at MUC for EUR94 (i.e. EUR99 less the Eur5 sign-up discount). The intention was to use it in Munich, and around Zurich and Bregenz. This is a summary of my experience.
The concept is awesome. That is the only part that is. It was fairly straightforward to set up and our devices connected to it easily. Every time we connected a device or activated a 24-hour package we had to re-enter the password, which was mildly annoying.
It worked very well in Munich and in Zurich. However, it was a lot dodgier in and around Bregenz. And on the trains it was useless - it just kept losing the signal.
It often took quite a while to connect to the system when you fire it up - between 5 and 10 minutes. When you want to do a quick transaction or briefly consult a map that gets very annoying. Similarly if it lost the connection and gave a "system busy" message it often took ages to connect again. Given that the battery life is pretty short (maybe 4 or 5 hours) you do have to switch it off to conserve power - which means suffering the aggravation of waiting while it reconnects the next time you want to use it.
Speeds were all over the place. I had no need for ultra fast data transfer but was a bit surprised that even with my modest usage it was often slow and showed a poor signal symbol - even in the centre of the large cities. I also hate the fact that you can only use it in 24 hour packages. So if you only need it for 5 minutes on a specific day then you get charged the full 24 hour rate. But that is what it is, so you just have to accept it.
Bottom line: it is usable but far from ideal. (Compared to the mi-fi I hired in Japan it is miles less efficient and user friendly. The only advantage is not having to mail the device at the end.) I hope it improves over time because I really like the concept as I said. But for now it feels more like a beta version than something ready for market.
The concept is awesome. That is the only part that is. It was fairly straightforward to set up and our devices connected to it easily. Every time we connected a device or activated a 24-hour package we had to re-enter the password, which was mildly annoying.
It worked very well in Munich and in Zurich. However, it was a lot dodgier in and around Bregenz. And on the trains it was useless - it just kept losing the signal.
It often took quite a while to connect to the system when you fire it up - between 5 and 10 minutes. When you want to do a quick transaction or briefly consult a map that gets very annoying. Similarly if it lost the connection and gave a "system busy" message it often took ages to connect again. Given that the battery life is pretty short (maybe 4 or 5 hours) you do have to switch it off to conserve power - which means suffering the aggravation of waiting while it reconnects the next time you want to use it.
Speeds were all over the place. I had no need for ultra fast data transfer but was a bit surprised that even with my modest usage it was often slow and showed a poor signal symbol - even in the centre of the large cities. I also hate the fact that you can only use it in 24 hour packages. So if you only need it for 5 minutes on a specific day then you get charged the full 24 hour rate. But that is what it is, so you just have to accept it.
Bottom line: it is usable but far from ideal. (Compared to the mi-fi I hired in Japan it is miles less efficient and user friendly. The only advantage is not having to mail the device at the end.) I hope it improves over time because I really like the concept as I said. But for now it feels more like a beta version than something ready for market.